Display apparatus.



H. MAHIEU.

DISPLAY APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.26. I914.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

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H. MAHIEU.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. 1914.

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Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

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- HILAIRE MAI-IIEU, OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed August 26, 1914. Serial No. 858,629.

thereof to view at different places and times, through apparently fortuitous occur rence.

The object of the invention, first, is to devise a sign of the type aforesaid Calculated to attract the attention of large throngs of spectators, both near and afar. Secondly, by seemingly introducing an element of chance in the working of the sign, the invention aims to evoke the curiosity of the beholders so as to induce'them to pause and watch its operation.

A further object is materially to reduce the actual cost of advertising in favored localities, by dividing it up among a fair number of tradespeople who can severally be benefited by consecutively exhibiting certain appellations or other particulars of their respective business, in some point of vantage employed in common.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as this specification proceeds.

\Vith the aforesaid objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in their preferred embodiment by the accompanying drawings, and particularly defined in the subjoined claims.

Referring to the said drawings :F igure 1 is a face view representing an approved form of the invention, embodied in a luminiferous apparatus built and seemingly operated upon the principle of a'roulette or similar wheel of fortune; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof, on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking to the left, in the direction pointed out by the. arrows; and Fig. 3 is' a diagrammatic view showing an electrical appliance, with sundry wire con-neclike game of chance.

tions, adapted to operate the sign upon an ordinary circuit.

As shown in Figs. 1 and2 of the annexed drawings, the form of the invention herein disclosed comprises a circular structure 5, which may be assimilated to, that is, given the general configuration or appearance of the game apparatus known as .a roulette, or The outer portion of this structure, designated by the reference numeral 5, may be considered as a round table, divided into radial segments 6, which represent the usual black and red diamonds of the roulette, and herein constitute centrally and inwardly inclined Spaces where the names of advertisers appear.

At the inner ends of the segmental spaces 6, are figures disposed circularly according to the traditional arrangement employed in roulette playing, and consisting of the numbers 1 to 36, with a zero and double zero, as Fig. 1 illustrates. Adjoining the said numbers, on the inside of the circle formed thereby, is a series of pockets 7,. adapted each to receive the rolling sphere, ball or marble with which'the roulette is played. One pocket, it will be seen, is allotted to each number, space 7. I

From the pockets 7 toward its axis, the structure 5 is raised centrally, in somewhat conical formation, as indicated at 8. This part is designed to perform the function of the rotating disk of the roulette game, as will presently be explained. For economical reasons, the said central part 8 is preferably made a fixed portion'of the structure, and given the semblance of motion through the medium of flickering lights, furnished, for instance, by electric lamps cut in and out of circuit, in any of the ways already known in the art. As exemplified herein, four sets of incandescent electric lamps 11, 12, 18, and 14 are utilized for the present purpose, three of the sets being concentric, and the fourth arranged in radial .rows. Thus, the first set of lamps 11 forms a circle circumscribing the figures of the roulette outwardly, the second set 12 follows the same figures in a similar manner inwardly thereof, but at the outer ends of the circular series of pockets 7, and the third set13 constitutes a like ring at the inner ends of the latter, while the fourth set 14 joins the lamps l2 and 18 by extending along the diopposite a corresponding the latter. 7 This involves the use of a lamp 17, located at the apex of the centrallya wheel-like disk designed for simulated rotation over the numbered pockets of the roulette, and may be of any desired or approved color,

Like the seemingly rotatmg disk above referred to, the rolling ball of the roulette is represented, in the advertising apparatus forming the subject matter hereof, by a shiftlng. light, arranged to move more or less deviously from the center of the said disk to any one ofthe pockets 7 underlying raised portion 8 of the structure, also one i lamp 18 in each one of the said pockets, and

line of lamps 19 reaching from the lamp 17 l to one of the lamps 18. As seen in Fig. 1,

assuming that the set of lamps 11 to Marc operated so as to make it appear that the disk of light is revolving clockwise, the line of lamps 19 is run in a sinuous course, andthe several lamps thereln arecut 1n and outof circuit successively one by one, in such a manner that the light emitted by the lamp 17, which is first to be lighted and extinguished, seems to have been thrown in a direction contrary to the rotation of the disk, as is done with the roulette ball, and thence supposedly forced out of a straight path, shoots across the moving disk into the superficially-divided, annular field beyond the pockets 7, bounds against the rim or margin of the table .5, and races therefrom in zigzag fashion up and down the inclined spaces 6, around a number of obstructions 20, until it finally lodges in the pocket reserved for the winning ball, as, for instance,

that adjoining the roulette number 29, on the left-hand side of Fig. 1, and containing one of the lamps 18, which lights up immediately upon the line 19 being cut out. The same line of lamps 19 serves for all numbers, the light being shifted from the roulette number 29 to any one of the other num- .bers, as required.

The roulette numbers, including the single cipher and double cipher, are formed also, each of a cluster of lamps 25, as shown on the right-hand side of Fig. 1. Likewise, the names of the advertisers are composed of lamp groups, as indicated by the reference numerals 26, 27, on the left of the roulette numbers 10 and 25. Another series of lamps 28 is placed around the entire periphcry of the table or structure 5, on the face thereof, as illustrated in both Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 3 illustrates a simple electrical means wherewith to operatethe above described advertising apparatus. This merely comprises a small electric motor 31 supplied with current from an outside circuit 32 by a feed wire 33, and some auxiliary circuits controlled through the motor in which the several sets, clusters, or groups of lamps pertaining to the apparatus are-included, except that the peripheral series of lamps 28 is separately connected with the main circuit 32 by its own wire 34. It is intended that the peripheral lights 28 should be burning constantly, in order to illuminate the apparatus as a whole and sharply set off its outline. N0 return wires are shown, since the illustration thereof only implies a needless reproduction of duplicates and no claim to novelty is made herein concerning the structural details of the electric connections. The lamps composing the before described setsll, 12, 13 and 14:, which together constitute the apparently rotating disk, are connectedup in multiple, and every fifth one in each circle of lights among them is cut out in regular progression, besides imparting ageneral. flickering to the lights that keep burning, to produce the desired rotative effect. Thus, a substantially radial or transverse line of lights comprising one from the outermost set 11, one from theadjacent set 12, one from the innermost set 13, and one row of the intermediate set 14, will be cut out together at one moment. At the next instant, a similar line of lights occupying the fifth space forward or backward will likewise be cut out,

and so on until the full disk of lights has gone through the same operation. The circuit connections include a feeder 37 extending from the main line 32 to a brush 38 continuously contacting with a drum 39, mounted on a shaft 41, geared as at l2, with a drive shaft 43, connected up in any suitable manner with the armature of the motor 31. On the drum 39 are shoes 46, in contact with brushes 47, wired to a bar connection 48. The latter is also wired to a brush 49, continuously contacting with a main drum 51, mounted on a shaft 52, geared at 53 to the aforementioned shaft 43. A number of shoes, as 54, 55, 56, and 57 are carried by the drum 51, the same being placed slightly in advance of one another as shown, and arranged to come successively into contact a with brushes 61, 62, 63 and 64C, wired to the four sets of lamps aforesaid. The latternamed shoes and brushes cause the flickering of lights hereinbe-fore mentioned with reference to the apparently rotating disk of the roulette species, while the shoes 46 and thereto assigned. Similar circuit eonnections are provided for the lamps l7 and 19, the same including a feeder 67, leading to a brush 68, in continuous contact with a drum .71, on a shaft 72, the latter-named shaft be ing driven by gearing 73, from the drive shaft 43. Shoes 69 on the drum 71, are successively brought into contact with brushes 70, which are so wired with the lamps 17 and 19 as to cause them to light up one after another, imitating a rolling ball in motion. Analogously, the lamps 18, 25, 26 and 27, are wired to brushes 75, consecutively acted upon by shoes 76, carried by a drum 77, on a shaft 78, driven from the shaft 43, through gearing 81. The current to the drum 77 is continuously transmitted through a brush 80, connected up by the feeder 82 to the main line 32. The lamps l8 and 25, however may be operated on a different circuit from that of the lamps 26 and 27, which latter are used for spelling the names of the advertisers, as herein shown. The respective circuits in that case may be coupled up by means of a solenoid 86, with a movable .core or plunger 87, serving to close a self-opening switch 88, all as indicated on the upper part of Fig. 3, on the right-hand side. By adopting this mode of operation, current conductors of lesser capacity may be employed for the circuit in which the lamps 18 and 25 are located, and the heavier conductors used only to light the larger number of lamps grouped at 26 or 27.

It is understood that the gears 53 for the drum 51, from which the flickering of lights for the seemingly rotating wheel or disk is controlled; also the gearing 4:2 for the drum 39, which controls the time when the disk of lights altogether disappears; likewise the gearing 7 3 for the drum 71, controlling the combined lamps 17 and 19, that flash the traveling light representing the rolling ball; and the gears 81 for the drum 7 7 in 'the circuit of the lamps 18, 25., 26 and 27, severally representing the pocketed ball, with the number and sign adjoining the latter, are all so proportioned relatively to one another as to insure the lighting or illumination .of the various parts of the apparatus in accordance with the customary procedure of the roulette game. Thus, the ratio of gears is such as to produce, first, the effect of a roulette disk in rotation. Secondly, what appears to be a rolling ball, represented by a traveling light, is thrown athwart the disk contrary to its direction of movement and reaches a numbered pocket. Then the disk vanishes from view, and there remains to be seen only the pocketed ball, the winning number thereof, and the adjacent advertisement. It is obvious that by rearranging the shoes 76 on the drum 77 the time when the different numbers 25 shall appear will be correspondingly changed, in this way repetition of the same numbers one night after the other is avoided.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A display apparatus comprising a table composed of fixed parts, one of which is rendered seemingly movable, a plurality of symbols on one of the fixed parts, means for illuminating any one among said symbols at option, and means simulating anelement of chance apparently determining which symbol shall be illuminated.

2. A display apparatus comprising a table, symbols promiscuously arranged about the margin thereof, means capable of effecting independent illumination of any one among said symbols, and means simulating a traveling light apparently controlling said illumination.

3. A display apparatus comprising a fixed table including a seemingly rotatable part, marginal symbols disposed around said table, means for illuminating any one of said symbols, and a light originating centrally of the table simulating an element moving outwardly toward the symbol to be illuminated by said means.

41-. A display apparatus comprising a. table, symbols disposed in seemingly indiscriminate order around the margin thereof, means for illuminating any one of said symbols according to predeterminate arrangement, and means simulating a rotating disk of lights and to similate a light representing an element of chance projected across said disk to the symbol intended to be displayed.

5. A display apparatus comprising a table, symbols disposed around the surface of the same, means simulating a disk of lights rotating within the space encompassed by said symbols, means for illuminating any of the symbols at option, and means to simulate a light flashed from the center of said disk in a zigzag course toward the symbol to be illuminated.

6. A display apparatus comprising a table, a series of symbols placed over the margin thereof, means for illuminating said symbols independently of one another, distinctive characters respectively allotted one to each of said symbols, and means simulating a light following an erratic course toward one'of said characters prior to the illumination of the symbol designated by the same.

7. A display apparatus comprising a table, symbols grouped circumferentially thereupon, pockets serially arranged inwardly of said symbols, one of the former being appropriated for each one of the latter, means for illuminating the symbols independently of one another, and means simulating a light representing a ball rolling from said table into one of said pockets to determine the illumination of the symbol thereby indicated.

8. A display apparatus comprising a table, symbols disposed peripherally over the surface thereof, numbers respectively designating said symbols, a pocket adjacent to each of said numbers, means capable of effecting the illumination of any of the symbols independently of the others, and means simulating a light directed deviously toward the number andpocket appertaining to the symbol to be illuminated.

9. A display apparatus comprising a table, a circumferential series of symbols- .placed thereupon, numbered pockets disposed inwardly of said symbols, each one of the latter being contiguous to one of the former, means simulatlng a central disk of lights rotating at one side of said pockets,

means for illuminating any one of the symbols separately from said disk, and means to simulateaball of light projected across the disk to the numbered pocket adjoining the symbol intended for illumination.

10. A display apparatus comprising a table, symbols disposed radially. thereon, a

circular series ofnumbers respectively designating said symbols, a corresponding series of pockets adjacent to said numbers, means simulating a rotating diskof lights centrally located with relation to said numbered pockets, means to simulate a rolling ball designed to drop into the numbered pocket pertaining to one of the symbols to be displayed, andmeans for illuminating the latter independently.

11. A display apparatus comprising a table, symbols arranged for separate display symbols severally distinguishing the latter,

means simulating a disk of lights rotating in the space surrounded by said pockets, means for illuminating the symbols singly apart from said disk, means for cutting out the disk lights when a symbol is illuminated, and means to simulate a light projected from the disk onto the periphery of said table, thence'zigzagging between said obstacles, and stopping in the numbered pocket of the last-named symbol prior to its illumination. 1

13. A display apparatus comprising lamps arranged in radial and circular formation, leaving a central space Within the same, a row of. characters disposed around said lamps, a field outslde sald characters, a l1ne of lampsextending from said central space between the radially-disposed lamps,

across said characters into said field, said line of lamps zigzagging irregularly through the field, a set of lamps respectively located opposite the several characters, and means for lighting up the lamps in said line successively from the central space outward, ending at a lamp in said set near a certain character.

14-. A display apparatus comprising an outer field, a group of characters arranged inside the same, lamps disposed in radial rows within said group, a set of lamps located between said radial rows, a line of lamps extending from the center of the ra dial rows across and around the outer field,

means for shifting the light consecutively from one lamp to another in said line, and I other means for lighting up a lamp in said set opposite one of the characters.

15. A display apparatus comprising a field containing symbols, means simulating a disk of lights rotating within said field, a row of lamps intervening between the field and said disk, and means for lighting up a lamp in said row illuminating one of the symbols. I

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in the county of New York and State of New York this 20th day of August A. D. 191 1.

HILAIRE MAHIEU.

WVit-nesses: V

H. C. KARLsoN, ALEXANDER LEMAITRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. O. 

